Safety stop mechanism for knitting



Feb. 27, 1951 R. H. GOODISON 2,543,547

SAFETY STOP MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed NOV. 30, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 lllllllllllllllllu FIG.

AT TORNEYS Feb. 27, 1951 R. H. GOODISON 2,543,547

SAFETY STOP MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Nov. 30, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 WWW lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll- FIG. 2]

-lfllllllllllllllllllllllllllllIlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll lllllllllll l I INVENTOR.

RALPH H. GOOD/SON Feb. 27, 1951 R. H. GOODISON 2,543,547

SAFETY STOP MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Nov. 50, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. RALPH H. GOOD/SON ATTORNEY-S patented 27, 1951 2,543,547 SAFETY STOP MECHANISM FQR KNITTING MACHINES Ralph H. Goodison, Hatfield, Pa., assignor to Sapphire Hosiery Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application November 30,1949, Serial No. 130,255

7 Claims.

chine if certain elements, which normally move in predetermined timed relationship, accidentally get out of step with each other as a result of mechanical failure or for any other reason. More specifically, the present invention is concerned with a safety switch associated with the slur bar and friction rod mechanisms of the knitting machine in such a manner as to become operative upon the falling out of step of said mechanisms in order to shut off the machine before completion of couliering, thereby preventing the yarn carriers from riding over and damaging the sinkers and dividers.

In full-fashioned knitting machines the knitting yarn is laid longitudinally of the sinker bed into the frontal notches of the sinkers and intervening dividers by means of a reciprocating yarn carrier operated in a suitable manner from the friction rod mechanism of the machine. The yarn carrier moves concurrently with but in advance of the slur cam or cook (mounted on the slur bar of the machine) which operates to progressively advance the sinkers and position the yarn in the intervals between adjacent pairs ofv needles. When the yarn carrier and slur cam have completed their traverse, the dividers are advanced in unison by the catchbar of the machine in order to uniformly apportion the yarn initially positioned by the sinkers between needles and the resultant loops are incorporated in the knitted article by actuation of the needle bar in the well-known manner. Following the laying of yarn for each course of knitting, the sinkers and dividers are simultaneously retracted preparatory to the laying of yarn for the succeeding course of knitting by means of the catchbar which is provided with a longitudinally extending groove for engaging upstanding butts on the sinkers and dividers. Since it is necessary for the yarn carrier of each sinker bed to precede the slur cock in laying the yarn for each course of knitting, it is necessary for thefriction rod and the slur bar to reciprocate concurrently in predetermined timed relationship. If, however, the slur bar and friction rod should become out of step due to mechanical failure, it is necessaryto have some means of shutting off the machine immediately before completion of couliering in order to prevent the yarn carriers from riding over the sinker beds with resultant breakage or damaging of the sinkers and dividers.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a safety switch in an electrical circuit controlling the power source for the machine, the switch being operative to stop the machine immediately upon the falling out of step of the slur bar and friction rod mechanisms of the machine. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the switch may be mounted on the friction rod. The switch may be of the normally open type and will be held closed during proper fuIlCtiOl'lillg-Of the machine by means of a cam element secured between adjacent slur boxes and engaging a roller mounted on the switch plunger. In the event that the slur bar and friction rod fall out of step for any reason, the roller will ride off its associated cam element, thereby opening the electrical control circuit and stopping the machine.

The operating mechanism of the machine includes a coulier cam or cams driven from the main cam shaft of the machine by means of a clutch and suitable gearing. The coulier mechanism is provided for transforming the rotary motion of the cam shaft into the reciprocatory motion necessary for the operation of the slur bar, on which the slur cocks are mounted for actuation of the sinkers; and the friction rods which operate the yarn carrier rods to which the yarn carriers are secured. One of the reasons for the creation of the condition which is overcome by the arrangement of the present invention is the failure of the clutches which control the coulier mechanism to re-engage properly. The falling out of step of the friction rod and slur bar mechanism may also arise from other mechanical failure in the linkage system between said mechanisms and the coulier mechanism, such as stud breakage on the rocker arms or driving members interconnecting the rotary and reciprocatory mechanisms.

The foregoing objects as well as additionalobjects and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent in the course of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate a pre ferred embodiment of the invention and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a rear view of a portion of a fullfashioned knitting machine incorporating the features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a portion of the knitting machine on an enlarged scale, the friction rod being broken away in order to show the manner of mounting the switch cam element between an adjacent pair of slur boxes on the slur bar;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 33 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail view illustrating the driving arrangement for the coulier mechanism.

In the drawings only the means necessary for a complete understanding of the present invention have been illustrated. While the catchbar has been illustrated, for example, the actuating mechanism therefor has been omitted for the sake of clarity, such mechanism and related mechanisms being conventional and well-known in the art.

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, the full-fashioned knitting machine includes a framework comprising transverse frames H a rear beam H and a center bed l2. Center bed l2 supports a plurality of sinker beds l3, one of which is provided for each knitting section of the machine, and which extend longitudinally thereof. Two coulier mechanisms are provided, one for the right half and one for the left half of the machine, as seen in Fig. 1. Right coulier cam i4 is fixed to the rear end of a stub shaft I5 and is driven from the main camshaft of the machine by means of a clutch and gearing (see Fig. Left coulier cam la is similarly mounted on stub shaft I51; and driven from the main cam shaft of the machine. Coulier cam H3 is connected to oscillate a driving member or rocker arm i6 pivoted to a beam bracket at ll. The upper end of rocker arm l6 carries a stud It for reciprocating a bracket l9 mounted on guide rod 20, said bracket being connected to a right friction rod 2| which in turn operates the yarn carrier rods 22 to whichthe yarn carriers 23 are secured.

The slur bar 24 extends over the entire length of the machine and is driven from the coulier cam M by means of a rocker arm 25 pivoted to a beam bracket at 26. Rocker arm 25 carries at its upper end a stud 21 for reciprocating a bracket 28 which is fixedly secured to slur bar 24 at 29, said bracket being also mounted on guide rod 25. Rocker arm 25 is operatively connected to rocker arm l5 by means of. alinkage 30 in such a manner that rocker arm l6 will have a greater effective length assuring that the yarn carrier will always precede a respective slur box 3| mounted on slur bar 24.

Left coulier cam Ma, is connected to oscillate a driving member or rocker arm 35 pivoted to a beam bracket at 36. The upper end of rocker arm 35 carries a stud 31 for reciprocating a bracket 38 slidable on guide rod 20. Bracket 38 is connected to left friction rod 2|a which in turn operates the yarn carriers on the left side of the machine. Another rocker arm 39 may be pivotally linked to rocker arm 35, as shown on the left side of Fig. 1, in order to reciprocate the shock absorber bar 40, which does not however form part of the present invention.

It will be understood that the friction rods 2| and EM operate the yarn carriers 23 for laying the yarn to be knitted while the slur bar operates the means for looping the yarn about the needles preparatory to the knitting operation. The yarn looping means include the sinkers 4| which are arranged in alternation with the dividers 42 in a plurality of transverse guide grooves formed in each sinker bed H]. The sinkers 4| are actuated in the usual manner by jacks 43 which are pivoted on a rod 44 and which are pushed forwardly by the slur cam 45 which is fixed to the reciprocating slur bar 24 by means of the slur cam box 3|. The slur cam box 3| slides on a fixed guide bar 48, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. In actual operation the slur cam 45 fOllOWs the motion of the yarn carrier 23 and pushes the sinkers 4| forwardly to sink the laid yarn between the knitting needles (not shown). When the yarn carrier 23 and the slur cam 45 have completed their traverse for one course of knitting, the catchbar 50 operates in the usual manner to advance the dividers 42 in order to uniformly apportion the yarn initially positioned by sinkers 4| between the needles. The resultant loops formed about the needles are incorporated in the knitted article by subsequent actuation of the needle bar of the machine. While the slur cam 45 is positioned outside the sinker bed i3 at the end of its traverse, catchbar 56 is lowered to engage the butts 4|a of the sinkers 4| whereupon the sinkers 4| together with dividers 42 are retracted in unison preparatory to the laying of yarn for the succeeding course of knitt;ng during the return stroke of the yarn carrier.

It will be noted that the yarn carrier 23 lays the yarn in the frontal receiving notches of the sinkers 4| and dividers 42 when said sinkers and dividers are in retracted position and that the sinkers are then progressively advanced concurrently with the mot;on of the yarn carrier by the action of the slur cam 45 against the sinker jacks 43. It follows therefore that the friction rods 2| and 2| a (which operate the yarn carriers 23) and the slur bar 24 (upon which the slur cams 45 are mounted) must reciprocate concurrently in predetermined timed relationship so that each yarn carrier will precede a respective slur cam 45 in laying the yarn for each course of knitting. If, however, the slur bar 24 and friction rods 2| and 2|a should fall out of step for any reason, itis necessary to have some means of shutting off the machine immediately and before completion of couliering in order to prevent the yarn carriers 23 from riding over the forwardly advanced sinkers 4| and dividers 42 with resultant breakage and damage.

According to the arrangement of the present invention a safety stop switch is provided in an electrical circuit controlling the drive motor of the machine, the switch being operative to stop the. machine upon the falling out of step of the slur bar and friction rod mechanisms of the machine. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the switch 5| is preferably of the normally open type andis provided with a plunger 52 which carries at its lower end a roller 53, as best shown in Fig. 3. Switch 5! may be mounted on friction rod 2| by means of a bracket 54. A cam element or support 55 may be fixedly associated with the slur bar 24 in any suitable manner, as by being mounted between an adjacent pair of slur cam boxes 3|. As long as the friction rod 2| remains in predetermined timed relationship with the slur bar 24 during the normal operation of the machine, roller 53 will be engaged by cam element 55 and the switch 5| will remain closed insuring uninterrupted operation of the drive motor (see Fig. 4). However, if for some. reason of mechanical failure, the friction rod 2| should fall out of step with the slur bar 24, the roller 53 will ride off its associated cam element 55, thereby opening switch 5| and interrupting the circuit to the drive motor in order to stop the machine. Instantaneous stoppage of the motor a: may be assured by the use of any suitable braking arrangement, such as a magnetic brake. By reason of the described arrangement the yarn carriers 23 will be prevented from accidentally riding over and damaging-the sinkers GI and divider 42. v

The conditions which might arise which would require immediate stoppage of the machine in order to prevent damage to the sinkers by the yarn carriers may be understood by referring to Fig. 1. It will be seen that a safety switch is provided on the left friction rod 2 id as well as on right friction rod 25. Right coulier cam M and left couliercam Hid are driven from the main camshaft of the machine by means of clutches (see Fig. 4). The slur bar 25 extends over the entire length of the machine and is driven from the right coulier cam M which also'drives the right friction rod 2|, The leftcoulier cam Ma drives the left friction rod 21a which in turn operates the yarn carriers on the left side of the machine. If the clutches which control the right and left coulier cams M and Mia do not engage properly the left friction rod 2 la will'fall out of step with the slur bar 2:3 and switch 5! on the left side of the machine will then operate in the manner previously described to stop the machine. Other types of mechanical failure may result in the falling out of step of the friction rods 2| and Zia with respect to slur bar 25. Referring to the right side of the machine, for example, in the event of breakage of the studs'la or 2? on driving members I6 and 25 respectively, the predetermined timed relationship between the right friction rod 2i and the slur bar 2% would be changed and the switch 5! on said friction rod would open and stop the machine. Similarly, the breakage of stud 31 on driving member 35 would result in the opening of switch 5! affixed to the left friction rod 2la and stoppage of the machine, thereby preventing the yarn carriers on the left side of the machine from riding over and damaging the sinkers.

Fig. 4 illustrates the driving arrangement for the right coulier earn it which is mounted on the stub shaft l5. Stub shaft i5 carries at its inner end a bevel gear '56 which meshes with a smaller bevel gear 65 rotatably mounted in a bracket secured to rear beam II. Drive shaft 62 extends axially through bevel gear 65 and is connected to motor 56 by means of belting 6i. Safety stop switch 5! is connected to the motor til by means of leads 6?. A driving clutch member fit is fixed to drive shaft 52 and operatively engages driven member 63, which is formed integrally with bevel gear 65, upon slight axial shifting of drive shaft 52 to the right as seen in Fig. 4. Operative driving engagement between clutch members 234 and 63 may be eifected as by means of a pin 640. carried by member 64, said pin being insertable within a slot 53a of driven clutch member 63. Left coulier cam ltd is driven from drive shaft 52 by means of an arrangement similar to that shown in Fig. l. Obviously the right and left cam wheels Hi and Ma may be operated from drive shaft 62 by means of other conventional clutch and gear arrangements.

Since certain modifications may be made in the safety stop mechanism of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawing be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

I. In a full-fashioned'knitting machine having a reciprocating slur bar, a friction rod con currently reciprocated in predetermined timed relation therewith and a drive motor; a stop switch interposed between said slur bar and friction rod and arranged to be automatically actuated for stopping the motor upon accidental changing of the predetermined timed relation between said friction rod and said slur bar.

2. In a full-fashioned knitting machine having a reciprocating slur bar member, a friction rod member concurrently reciprocated in predetermined timed relation therewith and a drive motor; a stop switch secured to one of said reciprocating members, said switch being of the normally open type and having a contact plunger extending therefrom, a fixed abutment element carried by the other reciprocating member and normally urging said contact plunger to a switch closing position, said abutment element being movable out of engagement with said contact plunger for automatically opening said switch and stopping the motor upon accidental changing of the predetermined timed relation between said friction rod member and said slur bar mem- I her.

3. In a full-fashioned knitting machine having a reciprocating slur bar member, a friction rod member concurrently reciprocated in predetermined timed relation therewith and a drive motor; a stop switch secured to one of said reciprocating members, said switch being of the normally open type and having a contact plunger extending therefrom, a roller carried at the free end of said plunger, a cam element carried by the other reciprocating member and normally engaging said roller for urging said contact plunger to a switch closing positon, said cam element being movable out of engagement with said roller for automatically opening the switch and stopping the motor upon accidental changing of the predetermined timed relation between said friction rod member and said slur bar member.

4. In a full-fashioned knitting machine having a reciprocating slur bar member, a friction rod member concurrently reciprocated in predetermined timed relation therewith and a drive motor; a stop switch secured to said friction rod member, said switch being of the normally open type and having a contact plunger depending therefrom a fixed abutment carried by said slur bar member and normally urging said contact plunger to a switch closing position, said abutment element being movable out of engagement with said contact plunger for automatically opening said switch and stopping the motor upon accidental changing of the predetermined timed relation between said friction rod member and said slur bar member.

5. In a full-fashioned knitting machine having a reciprocating slur bar member, a friction rod member concurrently reciprocated in predetermined timed relation therewith and a drive motor; a stop switch secured to said friction rod member, said switch being of the normally open type and having a contact plunger depending therefrom, a roller carried at the free end of said plunger, a cam element carried by said slur bar member and normally engaging said roller for urging said contact plunger to a switch closing position, said cam element being movable out of engagement with said roller for automatically tween each of saidfrictionrods'and 'a respective portion of said slur bar con opposite ,sides .of the machine, each of said :swlitches -heing :arranged to be automatically actuated for stopping the motor upon accidental changing of the predetermined timed lrelation ibetween a respective -frictionrod and saidslur bar.

7. A full-fashioned knitting machine having a reciprocating slur bar extending over the "entire length thereof, right and left friction :rods

concurrently re'ciprocated in predetermined timed relation with respect 'to said slur bar, :a cam mechanism for simultaneously operating-said slur bar and one of said friction rods, aseparate ucam.

mechanism for operating the iopposite .friction rod, a drive motor, az-stop switch secured to each of said irictionmods, each pf said switches being of :the normally open typeand having a contact plunger depending therefrom, a roller carriedzat the :free end of each-plunger, and apair of cam elements carried at opposite ends-of said slur :bar :and respectively normally engaging the roller of arespective plungerfor urgin said plunger to a :switch closing position, the roller of each :switch 'being .movable out .of engagement with its normally associated cam element for automatically opening the switch and stopping thelmotor upon-accidental changing of the predetermined timed relation between a respective friction rod :and said slur bar.

RALPH H.=GOODISON.

Name Date Gastrich Sept. 24, 1935 Number 

